Mediterranean style Spiced Couscous with vegetables & black beans

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On some terribly busy mornings of the weekends when  I have no time to make a meal with five things on plate & I wouldn't give in to eat at a fast food place, this is one recipe that comes to my rescue. This is such a forgiving dish that you can change it in many ways & still tastes great. Just keep the basics. That is to flavor the couscous with right spices. That's it! & all it needs is one pan. How simple is that :). So, here is the recipe :

 

Ingredients :

1 cup Couscous.

1 can of Black beans or Red kidney beans.

1 diced medium shallot.

1/2 cup Chopped mixed vegetables : Red pepper, green peas, zucchini etc.

1/2 cup fresh greens OR 1/4 cup Frozen Greens: Spinach/Kale/ collards/ Swiss chard.

1/4 cup Black Pitted Olives

1/4tsp Cinnamon powder, 1/2 tsp Cumin powder, Few Bay leaves.

1Tbsp Vegetable oil.

2 & half cup water.        

1 Tbsp toasted pine nuts.                   

Feta cheese to garnish.                                                   

 

 

Warm the vegetable oil. Add cinnamon powder, bay leaves & diced shallots. Immediately add couscous & saute. Once couscous is coated with oil, add cumin powder & saute again. Keep stirring to avoid charring. Keep it on low to medium heat till couscous is golden in color.  Add water & the vegetables at hand. Make sure you have greens in there as well. As the list shows you can use any one that you have at hand. Fresh or frozen, any will do. Add salt & cover. As couscous gets cooked, it will absorb the water. If it starts becoming lumpy, open the lid & let water evaporate. Drain the water from beans & add them to the pan. You can replace black bean with Red kidney beans  Add Olives. Stir all the ingredients gently & Voila, Couscous is ready! Oops, I mean a whole meal is ready. Serve it with toasted pine nuts on top. You can choose to add Feta cheese on top or serve with a side of Greek yogurt favored with powdered cumin.  Here you have it. A complete meal with carbs, proteins, Vegetables, PUFA & MUFA all in it, cooked in one pan with delicious flavors.

Long forgotten ingredient : Guar Beans

Ajwain flavored sauted Guar Beans



 

Guar Beans, also known as Cluster beans have been used in Indian culinary for  long time.  Growing up I remember,  Mom would say, "Eat some at least. "I hate it" would be my perennial response. But today I make it at least once a fortnight, if not once a week. May be that's because not only I have found few delicious recipes but also discovered how good it is for health. Low in calories, it packs in plenty of Folate, Vitamin A, K and C, Manganese, Iron and Potassium. Its pods are high in protein which is better available if the pods are toasted. But its biggest health secret lies in its very high fibre content which is  unique in many senses. It slows the absorption of food thus makes you feel full sooner thus helps in weight loss & also lowers the glycemic index of your meal  thus a very useful adjunct to the diet for diabetics.

 

This bean, a cousin of French beans,  is a native of Africa but now mostly cultivated in India. With world being as flat & small as it is, this is now easily available in frozen section of Indian Grocery stores. As opposed to french bean, this one is somewhat bitter in taste resulting in the disliking of many & hence makes it critical to cook with  just the right flavors.

In this recipe,  I have used Ajwain aka Carom seeds or Bishop Weed & lime juice to balance the bitterness. Last night, I served it as side with Lentil Soup & Roti.
 

Here is the recipe :
Ingredients:
1/2 cup of Chopped Guar beans
1 diced Roma tomato,
1/4 tsp Carom seed (Ajwain),
1/4 tsp Cumin seeds,
1/4tsp Garam Masala,
1/2 tsp Coriander powder,
Pinch of Cumin,
Juice of half lime.
Salt to taste
1Tbsp Olive oil / Vegetable oil

Method: Heat oil in a saute pan. When warm, add cumin & carom seeds. When seeds splutter, add Beans, salt and cumin & cook it on medium heat for about 10-15 minutes. Stir to avoid charring. Once beans are a bit softened, about rest of spices & lime juice. Cover & let is absorb the flavors for about 5-10 minutes. Add Tomatoes & cover. Turn the heat off & let it sit. Another 5 minutes, Voila, it's ready to be served. Hope you give it a try & enjoy.